Tasin oxygen diffusion barrier in multilayer structures

ABSTRACT

A multilayer structure having an oxygen or dopant diffusion barrier fabricated of an electrically conductive, thermally stable material of refractory metal-silicon-nitrogen which is resistant to oxidation, prevents out-diffusion of dopants from silicon and has a wide process window wherein the refractory metal is selected from Ta, W, Nb, V, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr and Mo.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a multilayer structure thathas a base layer with or without a metal conductor layer and arefractory metal-silicon-nitrogen diffusion barrier layer deposited ontop, and method of making the same and more particularly, relates to amultilayer structure that has a base layer and a refractorymetal-silicon-nitrogen diffusion barrier layer deposited on top toprotect the base layer from oxidation and to prevent out-diffusion ofdopants in the base layer across the barrier while remaining conductiveby resisting oxidation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, numerousprocessing steps involve subjecting device structures to hightemperature treatments in the presence of oxygen. For instance, thefabrication of high dielectric constant oxide materials requires typicalannealing conditions of 650° C. for 30 minutes while isolation ofpolycide gate stacks requires annealing conditions of 1050° C. for 20seconds. In the former application, a problem which generally occursduring the fabrication of such high dielectric materials is theoxidation of the underlying silicon. The oxidation forms an insulatingsilica layer between high permittivity oxide and silicon substrate whicheliminates the electrical contact to the underlying substrate and formsa capacitor of lower dielectric constant (SiO₂). Other researchers haveevaluated a host of barrier layers placed between the silicon and thehigh dielectric layer, however, none of the evaluated materials promiseto be sufficient barriers to prevent silicon oxidation.

For instance, conductive binary nitrides diffusion barrier materialssuch as TiN, WN and TaN are common in some VLSI applications, i.e, incontact holes, and are used to separate conductors from underlyingsilicon. However, most of these materials are not suitable diffusionbarriers for use in the above mentioned applications because they cannotwithstand the oxidation cycles that the device is subjected to. Inaddition, other researchers have investigated elemental metals such asPt, Au and Ru for the prevention of diffusion of oxygen to theunderlying layer of silicon and its subsequent oxidation. It was foundthat none of the pure metals prevented the diffusion and the resultingsilica formation. A break in the electrical conduction path to thesilicon substrate occurred as a result.

The conductive binary nitrides have also been evaluated for use in gatestacks. Experiments have shown that for sub-micron transistors, suchconventional barriers allow oxidation to proceed from the sidewallseveral thousand angstroms to the gate and thereby severely degrade thehigh frequency performance of the device through parasitic resistanceand capacitance. On the other hand, a 2.5 nm thick electricallyinsulating Si₃ N₄ barrier was found to resist oxidation, yet allowelectrical contact between the polysilicon and overlying metallic strapthrough tunneling conduction. However, this solution is notmanufacturable since the tunneling current is exponentially dependent onbarrier thickness, thus requiring very precise control of thicknessacross the wafer and among wafers.

Other researchers have attempted to eliminate the need for a diffusionbarrier in the gate stack by restricting the CMOS design to a singlework function gate. In this approach, only one doping type is used inthe gate polysilicon, thus eliminating the problem of dopantinterdiffusion. Dopant depletion is then addressed by increasing thedosage of the dopant. The drawback of this approach is that theperformance of one of the devices, either a PFET or a NFET is reducedbecause the gate is of the opposite carrier type and thus has a lessthan optimal work function.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide adiffusion barrier for use in a multilayer device that does not have theshortcomings of the prior art diffusion barriers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a diffusionbarrier that can be fabricated in a simple manufacturing process.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a diffusionbarrier capable of sustaining the high processing temperaturesencountered in semiconductor processing steps.

It is another further object of the present invention to provide anoxygen diffusion barrier for devices incorporating high dielectricconstant oxide layers.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an oxygendiffusion barrier made of an electrically conductive material of lessthan several thousand μΩ-cm that is applicable to a capacitor device.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an oxygendiffusion barrier that is electrically conductive and thermally stablefor use in the growth of high dielectric constant oxide compounds onsilicon substrates.

It is still another further object of the present invention to providean oxidation-resistant dopant diffusion barrier that can be suitablyused in a polycide gate stack for a CMOS device.

It is yet another further object of the present invention to provide anoxidation-resistant dopant diffusion barrier that allows the fabricationof a dual work function polycide CMOS device that is resistant tooxidation and has a wide process window.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a diffusion barrier made of an alloy ofTaSiN of a suitable atomic ratio such that the film has an electricalresistivity less than several thousand μΩ-cm, resists oxidation andreaction with silicon and metal silicides at typical silicon processingtemperatures of up to 1050° C., and resists the diffusion of oxygen ordopant atoms. The above properties make the film suitable for use as abase electrode for DRAMS, FERAMS and NVRAMS utilizing high dielectricconstant insulators and as a diffusion barrier in a polycide gate stackin a CMOS device.

In the preferred embodiment, an oxygen diffusion barrier layer made of aTaSiN alloy having an atomic percent of Ta between about 20% to about40%, of Si between about 10% to about 30% and of N between about 30% toabout 60% is provided. The oxygen diffusion barrier can be used as abase electrode in DRAM, FERAM and NVRAM devices. The technique permitsthe use of elemental sputter targets that are more easily fabricatedwith high purity and at low cost.

In an alternate embodiment, the present invention diffusion barrier isprovided in a preferred atomic ratio of Ta(36)Si(14) N(50) havingsuperior dopant barrier and conductor properties. The oxidation of thebarrier layer is minimized by the formation of a passivating skin ofSiO_(x) when exposed to an oxidation ambient due to the presence of Siin the structure. The dopant diffusion barrier layer can be used in apolycide gate stack of a CMOS device.

The present invention is further directed to a method of forming anoxygen or dopant barrier layer by either a chemical vapor deposition ora physical vapor deposition technique. The method can be carried out bydepositing alternating layers of SiN and TaN of predeterminedthicknesses. The technique permits the deposition of extremely thinlayers thus simulating an alloy deposition and it allows for simplecompositional control. Alternatively, a homogeneous TaSiN film lackingcompositional modulation can be deposited by reactively sputtering Ta₅Si₃ from a monolithic target in a N₂ ambient which can provide betterprocess control by reducing process complexity, or by CVD.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent upon consideration of the specification and the appendeddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a silicon substrate havinga TaSiN diffusion barrier layer, a platinum seed layer and a PLT layerof high dielectric constant deposited thereon.

FIG. 2 is a RBS (Rutherford Backscattering) spectrum of an as depositedTaSiN film.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a TaSiN film deposited ona silica layer on a silicon substrate.

FIG. 4 is a RBS spectrum of a TaSiN film annealed 30 min in oxygen at650° C.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a polycide gate stack withTaSiN barrier layers.

FIG. 6 is a RBS spectrum of a TaSiN film after 1050° C., 20 secoxidation anneal.

FIG. 7 is a SIMS of phosphorus-dopant profile in polycide gate stackwith a 10 nm thick Ta(36)Si(14)N(50) barrier layer after 1050° C., 30sec N₂ anneal.

FIG. 8 is a SIMS of phosphorus-dopant profile in polycide gate stackwith a 30 nm thick Ta(52)Si(23)N(25) barrier layer after 1050° C., 30sec N₂ anneal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS

In the preferred embodiment, a TaSiN composition that is electricallyconductive up to several thousand μΩ-cm is suitably used as a baseelectrode for capacitors in DRAM's utilizing high dielectric constantinsulators. The amorphous alloy of TaSiN provides an electricallyconductive, thermally stable oxygen diffusion barrier suitable for usein the growth of high dielectric constant oxide compounds on multilayerstructures. To evaluate the operability of TaSiN as oxygen barriers,several compositions of TaSiN were sputter deposited onto siliconsubstrates. The depositions were performed by co-sputtering pure Ta andSi targets in a nitrogen containing ambient. The composition was variedby either changing the relative sputtering power to the Ta and/or Sitargets and also by changing the partial pressure of nitrogen in thesputtering chamber. Of the alloys tested, the Ta(31)Si(20)N(49)(determined by RBS analysis) showed the best oxygen barrier propertiesin that the underlying silicon substrate did not oxidize after annealingat 650° C. for 30 min in an oxygen ambient. These data are shown inFIGS. 2 and 4 which are RBS spectra taken before (FIG. 2) and after(FIG. 4) annealing.

The alloy is deposited as a material with an electrical resistance ofbetween about 1,000 and about 2,000 μΩ-cm. These properties not onlyshow that the TaSiN compound acts as a good oxygen diffusion barrier,but also show a good stability of the material since the microstructureand the resistivity did not change.

In the following examples of TaSiN compositions, the atomic percentageof Ta is between about 20% to about 40%, of Si is between about 10% toabout 30%, and of N is between about 30% to about 60%. All percentagesused in this specification are atomic percents. A sputtering apparatusis used to allow the deposition of alternating layers of SiN and TaN ofpredetermined thicknesses. As shown in the transmission electionmicroscope (TEM) image of FIG. 3, the film maintains the layeredmicrostructure even after being annealed for 1 minute at 1100° C. Theapparatus allows the deposition of the layers extremely thin and thussimulating an alloy deposition. When the layers are made slightlythicker, i.e., still less than 10 nm, it has the effect of lowering theresistivity of the TaSiN alloy for a given composition withoutcompromising the barrier properties. In the following examples,structures are made for the examination of oxygen diffusion through thebarriers. This is important in the fabrication of high dielectricconstant capacitors. The goal of the experiment is to find a barrierthat does not allow oxygen permeation at high temperatures, whileremaining electrically conductive and not interdiffused with the Pt seedlayer or the Si substrate.

In place of the Si substrate, a conducting layer selected from the groupconsisting of Ta, W, Nb, V, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr, Mo, Pt, Ru, and silicidesthereof may be used. Or, between the Si substrate and the TaSiN layer, aconducting layer selected from the group consisting of Ta, W, NB, V, Ti,Zr, Hf, Cr, Mo, Pt, Ru and silicides thereof may be placed. Theconducting layer may form the base or bottom electrode or one layer ofthe bottom electrode of a capacitor formed of high dielectric material.

EXAMPLE 1

A Ta(21)Si(35)N(44) film of 80 nm thick is deposited on a siliconsubstrate with a layer thickness not exceeding 10 nm/layer. Thesubstrate was then heated to 700° C. in a pure oxygen ambient and heldat 700° C for 5 min. Using Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) analysis, thesilicon substrate was found to be free of oxygen after annealing.

EXAMPLE 2

A Ta(25)Si(35)N(40) film is deposited on a silicon substrate with alayer thickness not exceeding 10 nm/layer. The sample is then heated to700° C. in a pure oxygen ambient and held at 700° C. for 5 min. UsingRBS analysis, the silicon substrate was found to be free of oxygen afterannealing.

EXAMPLE 3

A Ta(26)Si(36)N(38) film is deposited on a silicon substrate with alayer thickness not exceeding 10 nm/layer. The sample is then heated to700° C. in a pure oxygen ambient and held at 700° C. for 5 min. UsingRBS analysis, the silicon substrate was found to be free of oxygen.Additionally, electrical measurements were performed both before andafter annealing and the sheet resistance was unchanged at 44 Ω/□.

EXAMPLE 4

A Ta(30)Si(29)N(41) film is deposited on a silicon substrate with alayer thickness not exceeding 10 nm/layer. The structure is thenannealed at 700° C. for 5 min in an oxygen containing atmosphere. RBSanalysis of the annealed structure showed no oxidation of the siliconsubstrate and there was no interdiffusion between the TaSiN and the Ptlayers.

EXAMPLE 5

A Ta(31)Si(21)N(48) film of 80 nm thick is deposited on a siliconsubstrate 20 at a higher rotational speed which resulted in a layeringthickness of less than 1 nm/layer. The structure 10 is illustrated inFIG. 1. The TaSiN layer 12 has a sheet resistance of 351 Ω/□. A 100 nmplatinum layer 14 was then deposited onto the TaSiN layer. APb(14.4)La(5.6)Ti(20)O(60) (commonly known as PLT) of high dielectricconstant material 16 is spun onto the sample using a sol-gel process. Ametal contact layer 18 is deposited on top for providing electricalcontact. The entire structure 10 is annealed in oxygen at 700° C. UsingX-ray diffraction, the PLT is found to be 100% Perovskite afterannealing. Using RBS analysis, the silicon substrate was found to befree of oxygen and there was no evidence of interdiffusion.

In an alternate embodiment, a present invention oxidation resistantdopant diffusion barrier layer is formed in a polycide gate stackutilized in a CMOS device, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 5. Inmodern semiconductor devices where dimensions continue to shrink, it isdesirable to form gate conductors by patterning composite stacks ofpolysilicon and a refractory material (polycide) such as TiSi₂, WSi₂ orW. It is desirable since the polycide approach allows decoupling of theconductor on the gate stack from that on the single crystal siliconregions where shallow junctions restrict the silicide thickness.Furthermore, a polycide stack can have a built-in, self-aligned etchstop on top of the gate conductor for use in fully overlapped contactsto the single crystal silicon region. This permits increased circuitdensity. Also, materials which are not suitable for self-alignedsalicidation such as W can be used.

The present invention method overcomes the problems frequentlyencountered in a conventional polycide process where the refractorymetal or silicide is present much earlier in the process sequence, andthus must withstand high temperature cycles and harsh chemicalenvironments such as oxidation and wet etches. Common dopants such as B,P and As diffuse into and/or react with the polycide, severely depletingthe underlying polysilicon layer in the device, and diffusing laterallythereby shifting the threshold voltage of adjacent devices of differentdopant type. The present invention provides a solution by introducing adiffusion barrier between the gate poly and the conductor. By depositinga layer of TaSiN with a suitable stoichiometry, unlike other barriermaterials, the combination of the incorporated Si minimizes the extentof oxidation through the formation of a thin passivating skin ofSiO_(x). The RBS spectra of a 100 nm Ta(36)Si(14)N(50) film shown inFIG. 6 indicates that an oxygen anneal of 1050° C. for 20 sec results inno appreciable oxidation of the bulk TaSiN film. In contrast, separateexperiments under similar conditions have shown that TiN oxidizes acrossthe entire film thickness. Furthermore, by controlling the stoichiometryof the film, the diffusion barrier can be fabricated at a usefulspecific resistivity of 625 μΩ-cm, while still maintaining its oxidationresistance and barrier properties. For example, FIG. 7 shows a secondaryion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profile of a phosphorus-doped gateelectrode after a 1050° C. 30 sec N₂ anneal. The P remainswell-localized in the poly due to the barrier action of the optimizedTaSiN film. In contrast, FIG. 8 shows extensive P diffusion when asub-optimum Ta(52)Si(23)N(25) barrier of 30 nm thickness was subjectedto the same heat treatment.

The process of the alternate embodiment can be carried out as follows.First, a poly layer is deposited on a gate oxide and followed by ionimplantation of the gate dopants in the various regions of the wafer, asin a conventional processing for a polycide gate structure. Then,instead of depositing a gate conductor such as TiSi₂, a 5 nm to 30 nmthick diffusion barrier of TaSiN is deposited by reactive sputteringfrom a Ta₅ Si₃ cathode in an Ar ambient containing approximately 50%nitrogen gas. The Ta:Si ratio can be adjusted by using a target ofdifferent composition. Alternatively, sputtering may be carried outusing multiple elemental cathodes. In this case, a platen holding thewafers to be coated is rotated under Ta and Si targets in an Ar/N₂ambient. The ratio of Ta/si is then controlled by varying the cathodepowers. For either deposition method, the film's nitrogen content isprimarily controlled by adjusting the Ar/N₂ ratio. A nitrogen content inthe film of about 50% is desirable to achieve the optimal diffusionbarrier and oxidation resistance properties while still maintainingreasonable resistivity. Specific resistivity of 625μΩ-cm has beenreproducibly obtained. After the film deposition, the polycideprocessing proceeds in the standard fashion of depositing the conductor,patterning the gate, defining the gate by RIE and then oxidizing thegate stack.

The present invention allows the fabrication of a dual work functionpolycide CMOS with a dopant diffusion barrier that is resistant tooxidation. The process has a wider process window than the tunnelingbarrier technique using Si₃ N₄ because it is electrically conductive.

While the present invention has been described in an illustrativemanner, it should be understood that the terminology used is intended tobe in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Furthermore, while the present invention has been described in terms ofa preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be appreciated that thoseskilled in the art will readily apply these teachings to other possiblevariations of the invention. For instance, other refractory metals suchas W, Nb, V, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr and Mo can also be used to replace Ta in thecompositions.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege are claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A multilayer structurecomprising:a conducting base layer having a top surface, and arefractory metal-silicon-nitrogen layer adhered to the top surface ofsaid conducting base layer, said refractory metal-silicon-nitrogen layercomprises alternating sub-layers of refractory metal-nitrogen andsilicon-nitrogen each having a thickness of less than about 10 nm.
 2. Amultilayer structure according to claim 1, wherein said diffusionbarrier layer is a sputtered TaSiN consisting of alternating sub-layersof TaN and SiN.
 3. A semiconductor structure comprising a conductingbase layer having a top surface, and a refractory metal-silicon-nitrogenlayer adhered to the top surface of said conducting base layer, saidrefractory metal-silicon-nitrogen layer further comprising alternatingsub-layers of refractory metal-nitrogen and silicon-nitrogen each havinga thickness of less than about 10 nm.
 4. A semiconductor structureaccording to claim 3, wherein said diffusion barrier layer is asputtered TaSiN consisting of alternating sub-layers of TaN and SiN.